Radiator valve tester



Sept. 29, 1953 M. COUPER I 2,653,470

RADIATOR VALVE TESTER Filed Aug. 13, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor NAXWL L (Oi EP Attorney Patented Sept. 29, 1953 'UNITED STATES ATENT'oFFicE; f

RADIATOR VALVE TESTER Maxwell Couper, Lawrence, Kans.

Application August 13, 1948, Serial No. 44,191

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to radiator valve testers and it consistsin the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts hereindescribed and claimed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for thetesting of the conventional radiator valves which are thermostaticallycontrolled and which are commonly called traps.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thecharacter set forth which is wholly portable, simple and inexpensive inits construction and effective and eflicient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means, in anapparatus of the character set forth, for determining the functioning ofa radiator valve.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means forholding a valve to be tested in an apparatus of the character set forth.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novelarrangement of boiler and control valves for steam-testing conventionalradiator valves.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figures 1and 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational view, partly in section,illustrating certain details of construction,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an element of the invention.

Generally there is provided a radiator valve tester comprising a boilerhaving an electrical heating unit in the bottom thereof and providedwith a pressure indicator at the top thereof. The top is also providedwith a pair of valved fittings, one of which has connection with thebottom of a funnel and the other of which extends upwardly to connectwith a radiator-valve receiving head which is provided with a hingedclamp of novel construction for holding a radiator valve rigidly inconnection with the head and over the funnel. A relief valve is mountedin the upper end of the boiler and electrical connection is provided forthe heating element.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

there is showntherein a radiator valve tester having a boiler l0provided with supportinglegs H and having a conventional electric heaterelement l2 affixed to the bottom thereof. A male electrical connector H3is provided at one side of the boiler for connection with a source ofelectrical energy. I

In the top of the boiler there is provided a pressure indicator I4 and arelief valve l5.

There is also provided a pair of fittings l6 and I! provided with valvesl8 and I9, respectively.

To the upper end of the fitting I'l there is threadably connected thespout of a funnel 2| and to the upper end of the fitting Hi there isthreadably connected a pipe 22 whose upper end is connected by acoupling 23 to a dependant connecting member 24 of a head 25 providedwith a convex face 26. A passage 21 leads from the face 26 inwardly ofthe head to connect with a vertical passage 28 in the member 24 tothereby, in turn, communicate with the interior of the pipe 22.

The head 25 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending ears 29 towhich are pivotally connected the ends of a strap-like substantiallyoval-shaped clamp 30 which is provided with a centrally disposedenlarged portion 3| in which is threaded a shaft 32 having a pointedinner end 33 and which has an operating handle 34 at its outer end.

In operation, a radiator valve 35 of the type having a thermostatincorporated therein as a part thereof is positioned with its horizontalfitting 36 in abutment with the face 26 of the head 25, after which theclamp 30 is brought to a horizontal position and the handle 34 turned tobring the pointed end 33 of the shaft 32 into engagement with the valve35, the vertically de-' pendant fitting 31 being positioned directlyover the funnel 2| in the meantime. To test the valve 35 the connectorI3 is connected to a source of electrical current preferably by means ofa cord having a convenient switch therein. To speed up the testingoperation the boiler may be filled with hot water, but if such is notavailable, then, of course, it may be filled with cold water and thefilling operation is performed by opening both valves I8 and I9 andpouring the water into the funnel 2|.

The valve 35 having been properly positioned, the valves is and !9 arethen closed and when a reading of, for example, 10 pounds is had uponthe indicator I4, the valve l8 will then be opened. If the valve 35 isin good and proper condition, water and steam will flow through thefitting 3 18, pipe 22, passages 28 and 21, valve 35 and thence to thefunnel 2|. At this time, if the valve is in proper working order, itsthermostat will act to close the same and hence the pressure indicator Mwill again register a rise in pressure in the boiler I0 and no furtherflow of steam and water will take place from the fitting 31 to thefunnel 2|. If, however, the valve 35 is defective, water and steam willcontinue to flow into the funnel and the pressure indicator M will showa zero reading. After a valve 35 has been tested the electrical supplyis cut 011 and pressure allowed to return to zero after which the valveI 9 is opened to allow any accumulation of water in the funnel to returnto the boiler [6. The valve 35 is then removed and the apparatus isready for the next test.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many minormodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A radiator valve tester for valves having a laterally extending inletport and a dependant outlet port comprising a boiler, an electricalheating unit afii xed to the bottom of the boiler, a source ofelectrical energy for the heating unit, a pair of valved fittings in thetop of the boiler, a funnel connected to one of the fittings, a headhaving a passage therethrough and adapted to receive the inlet port of avalve to be tested, a pipe interconnecting the head with the othervalved fitting and a clamp for holding the valve to be tested with itsdischarge opening above the funnel said clamp being pivoted to the headand having an inwardly directed pointed shaft threadably mounted at apoint opposite the pivotal connections with the head.

MAXWELL COUPER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,637,956 Moriarty Aug. 2, 1927 1,661,323 Crosthwait Mar. 6,1928 2,014,836 Cowan Sept. 17, 1935 2,026,079 White et a1. Dec. 31, 19352,084,683 Hewitt 1- June 22, 1937 2,183,189 Gormley Dec. 12, 19392,462,116 MacLachlan Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date453,148 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1936

